Theresa May appeals to MPs for support as her future hangs in balance

Prime minister expected to signal at 1922 committee gather that she will extend government in a less governing path, after carrying out modest reshuffle

Theresa May will appeal to her MPs to hurl their load behind her at a crunch gather on Monday, as her future hangs in the balance after the Conservatives majority was wiped out in Thursdays general election.

The prime minister is expected to signal to her parliamentary colleagues that she will move her government in a more collegiate, less governing direction, after sacrificing her two closest consultants, Fiona Hill and Nick Timothy.

With many backbenchers accusing May for the partys poor concert at the polls, one senior Conservative said she would have to give a barnstorming performance at the session of the working party 1922 committee of MPs to hold on to her job.

George Osborne, who was sacked by May as chancellor last year, described her as a dead woman ambling, telling the BBCs Andrew Marr Show: It is just how long she is going to remain on extinction row. I think we will know very shortly. We could easily are going to the centre of next week and it all breakdowns for her.

If she subsists, May is likely to have to furrow controversial manifesto policies in order to secure the backing of the House of Commons, and present a stripped-down programme for government, focusing on implementing Brexit and scaping potential flashpoints.

Financial marketplaces will reopen on Monday morning amid continued uncertainty about whether May can command the patriotism of her own backbenchers, and pushing key legislation through the House of Commons.

As part of her reshuffle, Damian Green, a longstanding ally who campaigned for remain in last years referendum, will be first secretary of state effectively her deputy.

George Freeman, the MP for Mid Norfolk who chairs Mays Downing Street policy board, described Greens promotion as a good sign that the PMs brand-new government will have a better balance between Brexit and tackling the domestic grievances behind it.

After the reshuffle, May said in a pooled television clip: I am pleased that people from across the party have agreed to serve in my cabinet and we are now going get the hell out of there with the job.

I said during the election campaign if re-elected I would serve a full term … What I am doing now is actually getting on with the immediate task. I think thats whats important. I think thats what the public would expect, they want to see government required to ensure that certainty and stability.

Johnson, the foreign secretary, flatly denied reports that he is manoeuvring to supplant May. In leaked WhatsApp messages that emerged on Sunday, he described the “ministers ” as a woman of remarkable excellences, and advised my fellow members to get on with the number of jobs!

A spokesman for Johnson said he had spent the weekend in Oxfordshire, resting; while allies suggested that he would never challenge a sitting “ministers “. But few of Johnsons parliamentary colleagues doubt that he would make a bid for the leadership if it fell unoccupied.

One senior Conservative mentioned: Boriss antics are regarded as an ocean-going disgrace echoing criticism first used of him by senior MP Sir Nicholas Soames, who described him during last years referendum campaign as an ocean-going clot.

Arlene Foster, the DUPs leader, is expected to travel to London on Tuesday to discuss the details of any deal with the prime minister.

Many pro-Brexit MPs are supporting May, horror alternative solutions commander might take a less robust approach when divorce talks with the other 27 EU states begin.

David Davis, the Brexit secretary, announced: I have told anyone who is asking that Theresa should stay, in the national interest. Anything else is just self-indulgent. The people elect us to do a job.

Crispin Blunt, a backbench MP who backed Brexit and chaired the foreign affairs committee in the previous parliament, called for his party to practice massive discipline and defer thinking about the leadership until Brexit discussions are over.

The electorate has dealt us a rather touchy hand, he told. What we have got to do is hold her in position. Were likely going to have to boost her confidence, which will have taken a knocking. We have got a job to do for the next two years.

Blunt added: I would have seen the time to return to the leadership topic is after Brexit is delivered. We are in a very precarious position as a number of countries, and as a party.

But some senior Tories have expressed concerns about any linkup with the socially republican DUP, among them the Scottish leader, Ruth Davidson, who led the party to a strong concert north of the border.

Defence secretary Michael Fallon, also speaking to the BBC, emphasized: We are not in government with the DUP or in coalition with the DUP. They are going to support us on economic and security issues. We do not agree and we do not have to agree with these social issues and I certainly dont.

Were not changing our views on these social question. They are going to support us on these very big security issues that appearance this country.

MPs from the liberal wing of the working party, who counted Osborne and David Cameron both now out of parliament as among their champs, are casting about for a plausible standard-bearer.

Davidson is a member of the Scottish parliament in Holyrood , not an MP. Home secretary Amber Rudd is considered too vulnerable because of her slim majority of only 346 in her Hastings and Rye seat.

Ryan Shorthouse, director of the liberal Tory thinktank Bright Blue, which is backed by more than a hundred Conservative parliamentarians, said the “ministers ” should recognize that what he called her Ukip-lite strategy had miscarried and resign. Conservatives now face a crucial selection, he mentioned. Either they let a far-left schedule ascend or they act quickly to change their commander and their approach to Brexit.

Unless May resigns, certain challenges can only be launched against her if 48 Conservative MPs 15% of the full amounts of the write to the chairman of the 1922 committee, Graham Brady, saying they have lost confidence in their leader.